editor's review

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Developer AVG Technologies is a favorite among users looking for efficient solutions to protect their computers against all popular forms of malware, including viruses, Trojans, worms, rookits, dialers, adware and spyware.

Differences between AVG Free, Pro and Internet Security

Top choice remains AVG Antivirus Free since it is free of charge and offers basic protection, a link scanner that that looks into Twitter, Facebook and other URLs, along a file shredder to securely delete data. In terms of skill set, next in line is AVG Antivirus Pro which adds an online shield to the mix that protects users from harmful downloads, together with a data safe to encrypt and store confidential files.

However, AVG's complete av solution is Internet Security, which tops it all off with an anti-spam module that filters emails to eliminate dangerous and unwanted emails, along with a personal firewall that replaces the Windows Firewall to block hacking intrusions and ensure secure transactions online.

Customizable installation

The setup procedure is reasonably fast. AVG gives users the possibility of excluding any components from the installer when it comes to the email protection, identity, web browsing, firewall and PC Analyzer components (along with additional languages aside from English).

The email shield handles incoming and outgoing emails for spam and other malicious activity, while the identity module monitors the behavior of all running processes to determine whether they intend to steal the user's identity or not. PC Analyzer is a bonus feature that scans the computer for registry errors, junk files and broken shortcuts.

Modern and user-friendly interface

AVG keeps the same interface in all three products of its lineup, adopting a predominantly green theme and flat look. Large buttons provide immediate access to all primary components, and users may easily go back and forth through each panel. An important aspect worth taking into account is that it is possible to explore Internet Security even when it's busy with a task.

Multiple scanning methods and rich customization settings

Different levels of scanning can be run, depending on the user's preferences. The factory configuration is set with optimized settings by AVG's own recommendations, but advanced users are free to tinker with these options in detail, such as PUP and spyware reports, archives, tracking cookies, file exceptions, rootkit detection, heuristics, scan priority level (to favor either speed or resources consumption), and so on.

Performance and conclusion

Users may decide for themselves whether they want the av utility to be quick or thorough, as well as to pick speed over resources usage or the other way around. When it comes to malware detection ratio and scanning speed, Internet Security does not disappoint. Overall, users probably find the app's extra layers of security to their liking.